Chapter 16/The End?

The bar was seedy, just the way Dean liked them. Loud music, loud people, and lots of liquor, that's what he wanted right now. The three of them strolled into the bar together, Dean pushing his way up to the counter, John and Sam into the farthest booth from the door as possible. Dean ordered three shots and three beers, knowing two of the shots would be for him. Sam was a lightweight when it came to liquor, and he'd happily accommodate his brother's distaste for the harder spirit's the second he complained.

Scanning the room like the well trained hunter he was, something caught his attention in the far corner, or rather, someone. She stood at the jukebox, finger tapping away at buttons, even though she hadn't fed the machine any money. Dean didn't need to see her face to know who she was, and as the bartender brought over his drinks, he downed one shot, took another and a beer, and asked that the rest of the drinks be taken to the booth in the corner where his brother and father sat waiting.

John watched Dean, seeing what he saw before Dean even saw it. As Sam watched his father, then his brother, he saw her too. His eyes followed her as she slid back into the dark booth in the opposite corner, and as Sam started to rise from his seat, intent on doing something, anything, to stop his brother from doing what he was about to do, John grabbed his arm, pushing him back down into the booth.

"Let him be, he knows what he's doing."

"But Dad, that's…"

"I know, and so does Dean. He needs to do this himself, so let him do it."

The music started screaming from the jukebox as she toyed with her drink, knowing full well they were there. As the screeching voice of Axl Rose filled the bar, she saw him coming her way.

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long long year

Stolen many man's soul and faith
I was around when Jesus Christ had

His moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate

Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you is the

Nature of my game

"Stones did it better, you know. You can't top the original." Dean looked her in the eye, as he slid into the booth across from her, drinks in hand.

"That may be true, but I have a soft spot for Axl. I know what his future holds, and it isn't pretty."

"Mind if I join you?"

"I don't know, I don't usually go for younger men. Why don't you try sending that Dad of yours over?"

"Oh, come on, what's a few thousand years? It's not that big an age difference. Besides, I don't think my dad likes you very much."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, after all we've meant to each other. It's good to see you, exactly how long has it been Dean?"

"five months, thirteen days, to be exact."

"You've been counting, I'm flattered. Well, it didn't take you long to find me, did it?"

"You didn't make it very hard, we just followed the trail of dead vampires you left behind. You're pretty efficient at taking them out, aren't you? You need to work on cleaning up after yourself a little better though."

"Just clearing the skeletons out of my closet. Where do you think all those vampires came from, anyway? And what makes you think I wanted to clean up after myself? You hunters are the only ones that recognize the signs anyway. It was like my little trail of breadcrumbs. And it worked too, because here you are."

"Point taken. Let's get down to business, if you don't mind. Nobody really seems to want to tell me what exactly your whole deal was, so, why don't you explain it to me, in your own words, from start to finish. I think I deserve that much."

"You do, do you? Fair enough. Where should I begin? Hell isn't a very nice place, Dean. What you saw is nothing compared to the true horror that it really is. Didn't your dad tell you all about it?"

"No, and we haven't asked."

"Maybe you should. It would be very entertaining dinner conversation, or maybe around the campfire."

"Stick to the story, add the director's commentary later."

"Tough crowd, fine. After thousands of years, all that misery, disease, and death tends to get to you. It was amazing what humans would do to get what they want, not fully understanding the consequences of their actions. It didn't take long for me to know I didn't want to be there anymore. I was human once too, you know. It's a little hard to get out though, when the man upstairs gives you to ruler of hell as punishment for disobedience. I mean, come on, that was a little harsh, wasn't it? Guy never heard of a time out before. I did get some minor sort of revenge, which I'm now paying for by having to clean up. Call it my penance, I guess. I had to find some way out of hell, and since your family was so high on the list of priorities, I decided to use that to my advantage. Don't ask me why either, because I'm not answering that question. Part of the deal is I keep my mouth shut. You'll just have to find that one out all on your own. So, Samael, you know who he is, I'm sure, and I made a bet. Five challenges you had to face, and five you had to win, then I would be free. He knew I could convince you to play, and maybe figure out the riddles, but he didn't think I could get you to trade yourself for your dad, and he was confident you wouldn't guess my name. You lay that idiot façade on pretty well, because He was wrong on both accounts, and here I am. You were much smarter then anyone gave you credit for, except me, that is."

"So, you used me, abused me, then tossed me out like yesterday's garbage, all to get ungrounded, that it?"

"Not exactly. I knew what a triumph it had been when your father was finally taken down, the ultimate thorn in their side, and I wanted nothing more then to take that satisfaction away. Guess I'm a little bitter. I was so confident you would succeed Dean, that I made returning him to you part of the deal. After all, it was the least I could do. All your hard work should have been rewarded, and he should have never been taken from you in the first place. I just righted a wrong, that's all."

"So, you're saying Sam was never really part of the equation?"

"I'm not saying that at all. If you had lost, Sam would have been mine, and I would have just traded my way out. Simple as that. You are his protector, and if you give him up willingly, I would have been able to do with him as I pleased. I know that sounds harsh, but that's just the way it is. Good thing things turned out for the best, isn't it. It's not like it doesn't have it's advantages for you, right?"

"How so?"

"You've got your dad back, and why, do you suppose it is, you have this uncanny ability of being able to sense the evil in a room, before you ever see it? You can't say that hasn't come in handy, can you? And is there a reason you haven't told your father or brother what you can do yet? Afraid they'll think poorly of you, using the power that's been loaned to you?"

Dean knew she was right. Since he'd left the hospital, he could 'sense' things around him, and it had saved their asses a couple of times. He just didn't want to believe that it had come from her, even though he knew it must have. And he was never telling his father. One psychic freak in the family was enough.

"You mean like the good Dr. Garfield, who reported everything to you in real time, or that guy at the end of the bar who keeps shooting looks this way, the one that's been following you for the last two days. I know he's your next target, and he thinks he's going to take you out first, right. What an ass. He's got no clue who he's dealing with, does he? So, what else have you gifted me with I should thank you for?"

"If you're referring to the nightmares, those are all yours. Nothing I can do to help that. I wish I could though, they are pretty disturbing. And stop worrying, none of the minions of hell are coming to take your father back. That was a done deal the minute you said my name. I told you when I make rules, I follow them. I safeguard that they will be followed by others also."

"You see them, the nightmares?"

"When I want to. We are bound together, remember. I like to check in on you every now and then Dean, see how you're doing, see how Sam's doing, make sure your old man isn't planning on doing anything stupid."

"I'm glad you brought that up, that whole 'bound together' thing. You're telling me that as long as we're connected, I have this 'sense'?"

"For as long as we're connected. Think of how important that could be to you in the future, you know, when they do finally decide to come for Sam. They are going to come, you know. It's just a matter of time."

"Then I guess I'll save my kiss for another day."

"It's your choice Dean. If you choose to keep what you've got, I can't stop you."

"If it helps me protect Sam, why wouldn't I?"

"Why wouldn't you, indeed. If that's your decision, I'll be on my way. I have some business to attend to. Until we meet again, Dean Winchester."

She got up, slowly making her way through the mass of people to the door, stopping briefly and acknowledging John and Sam as they just stared daggers at her from their corner of the bar. The next thing they knew she was gone, and Dean was sitting next to his brother, semi-warm beer in hand.

"Dean, are you alright?"

"Yeah Sam, I am."

"Somehow I get the feeling we haven't seen the last of her, have we."

"No Sam, We haven't."

A/N: Thanks to all that read, hope you enjoyed it. It was written long before season 3, so technically, I thought of Lilith first.